Staff Display ‘Currently Reading’ Signs to Share Love of Books

Staff at TCA have been displaying signs around the Academy to share with students which book they are reading at the moment.

Staff at TCA have been displaying signs around the Academy to share with students which book they are reading at the moment.

The ‘currently reading’ signs include a tick box so staff can say if they think it is a page-turner or not to their liking.

The aim is to open up a dialogue about reading between staff and students as part of a drive to encourage reading for pleasure across all year groups. It has seen students ask teachers about the book they are reading after spotting the signs.

Every English lesson for students in years 7, 8 and 9 begins with 10 minutes of reading and every Thursday, all students and teachers – including senior leaders – spend 20 minutes reading at the start of the day, so that reading becomes ingrained in school life.

Matt Dobbing, Assistant Principal for Key Stage 3, said: “We pause for 20 minutes and read, so that it is a community event. We think that reading is central to what we do, especially in terms of students accessing the curriculum. We want to communicate our passion for reading and show that reading can be enjoyed into adult life.”

Mr Dobbing is currently reading Rain by Virginia Bergin, which he describes as dystopian fiction similar to The Hunger Games which older students might enjoy.